Padnell Pre-School

A Friday visit from Fern, the therapy dog, gives Padnell Pre-School a recognisable character: children can choose to read to her or spend time with her under staff supervision. Outdoor and messy play sit alongside this quieter opportunity. For children who enjoy animals, that adds another reason to join in.

Padnell serves children aged two to four in Cowplain, Waterlooville, and has 30 places in total. It is teacher-led, with charitable status and a Board of Trustees. Ofsted rated it Good on 2 July 2025, although a first-aid requirement and inconsistent explanations of behaviour expectations need careful attention. Morning, afternoon and all-day attendance follow a term-time calendar.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage Framework guides learning through play, with activities intended to develop children's skills across its areas of learning. At Padnell, doing and talking are central to that approach. Outdoor exploration and messy play give children material to investigate and something concrete to discuss.

In July 2025, children used books to identify garden insects and talked about a grasshopper's colour and camouflage before returning creatures to their habitat. This is a useful example of language developing through an actual discovery: children have a reason to ask questions, learn a new word and use it. The garden becomes part of the learning day.

Independence also had practical expression in July 2025. Children managed painting aprons, served their own drinks and helped organise an outdoor obstacle course, discussing possible risks with staff. These are small tasks with a clear purpose. They give children opportunities to make decisions and practise doing things for themselves before school.

Fridays include a more structured session for children approaching their school year. The more structured format gives older children a session geared towards preparing for school.

Outdoor and Community Life

Fern visits on Fridays. Children may read a story to her or choose a cuddle with staff present; she stays on a lead or behind an office gate rather than roaming freely. Participation is a choice, which matters for children who are interested in dogs but need time to become comfortable around one.

Environmental work has also taken a tangible form. In July 2022, Padnell achieved Plastic-Free Nursery Status through Surfers Against Sewage, a scheme addressing single-use plastic. Its work included removing cling film and straws and reusing yoghurt pots for craft materials. This historical example shows how an environmental topic became something children and families could act on, rather than just discuss.

Relationships and Communication

Tapestry, the online learning journal, connects home and pre-school through photographs, observations, videos and parent comments. Each child has an individual journal, and parents can receive email alerts when staff add an observation. Families can contribute their own comments, making communication about learning a conversation rather than a one-way update.

In July 2025, staff invited parents to discuss development and offered ideas for extending learning at home. Assessment informed what children would learn next. For families, the useful detail is the connection between a discussion about progress and practical suggestions they can use outside the setting.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the July 2025 inspection, Ofsted judged safeguarding effective and found that staff supported children with SEND through plans developed jointly with local paediatric teams and therapists specialising in speech and language, including visual aids for vocabulary. Padnell's team also includes a SENCo role and designated safeguarding lead roles, giving these responsibilities an identifiable place within the staff structure.

The same July 2025 visit identified a first-aid shortfall: leaders had not ensured that appropriately qualified paediatric first-aid cover was consistently present while children attended. Staff retained emergency-response knowledge and had arranged training; no impact on children's safety or wellbeing had been identified at that point. The required correction had a deadline of 18 July 2025. Those are dated findings, and the booked course should not be treated as proof that the requirement was subsequently met.

Behaviour expectations also needed clearer explanation in July 2025. Staff did not consistently explain the reasons behind the rules, so children sometimes struggled to understand or follow them. This is a specific improvement point for everyday interactions, rather than a reason to disregard the positive examples of independence and shared play.

Sessions and Attendance

Padnell operates from Padnell Infant School, Padnell Avenue, Waterlooville, Hampshire PO8 8DS, within the school's grounds. Opening hours are 8.50am to 2.55pm, Monday to Friday during term time, from September to July, excluding half-term holidays. Families needing holiday care will therefore need to plan around those closures.

The booking choices are Morning, from 8.50am to 11.50am; Morning with lunch, from 8.50am to 12.55pm; Afternoon, from 11.55am to 2.55pm; and All Day, from 8.50am to 2.55pm. Parents provide lunch for the two patterns that include it. The lunch extension offers a different finish time from either the shorter morning or the all-day option.

For children in their first year, Padnell recommends at least six hours each week. Unfunded attendance has a minimum of two sessions weekly, stated as six hours. Fridays are for the older children, so the pattern a family requests needs to fit the child's stage as well as the household timetable.

Applications use both an Application Form and a Session Request Form, which can be emailed or handed in. A confirmation letter follows, with sessions reserved subject to availability. That is a booking procedure, rather than a promise of a place.

Funding and Paid Extras

Padnell offers 15 Hours Funding and 30 Hours Funding, with the latter for eligible families, within its term-time operation. Private sessions can be paid for as needed, and families can purchase hours beyond their funded entitlement. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

The practical distinction is between entitlement and the attendance a family buys: receiving funding does not remove the need to choose a suitable session pattern. Parents supply lunch when their chosen session includes lunchtime, so that preparation belongs in the weekly routine alongside attendance.

Sharing grounds with Padnell Infant School does not guarantee a Reception place. Families still apply through the local authority admissions process. The older children's Friday session concerns preparation for school, not an admissions advantage.

• First-aid cover. The July 2025 requirement called for suitable paediatric first-aid cover whenever children were present, with a deadline of 18 July 2025. At a visit, ask how the requirement was addressed and how cover is maintained through staff absences.
• Understanding behaviour. In July 2025, explanations of behaviour expectations were inconsistent. Ask staff to demonstrate how they now explain a rule and its purpose during play or a disagreement.
• Friday attendance and Fern. Fridays combine the older children's structured session with the therapy dog's visit. During Stay & Play, discuss how the session fits your child and, if dog allergies or anxiety affect them, how participation is managed.
• Term-time timetable. The day ends at 2.55pm and half-term holidays are excluded. The morning, lunch extension and afternoon choices suit different working timetables, but holiday care needs separate planning.

Padnell suits families seeking morning or afternoon sessions, a morning with lunch, or an all-day place within school-term dates. Its animal contact, garden exploration and Tapestry journal give the offer a clear character, while the older children's Friday session provides a separate emphasis on preparation for school.

The Good judgement from July 2025 comes with concrete reservations. The first-aid requirement and inconsistent explanations of behaviour rules temper that judgement. For families whose timetable fits, the appeal is practical play, opportunities for independence and an active connection between home and pre-school.